Apparatus for flowing oil from oil-wells.



F. JACKSON.

APPARATUS FOR FLOWING OIL FROM OIL WELLS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13, I915.

Llfil gggo Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

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can snares PATENT anion.

FRANCIS B. JACKSON, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

APPARATUS FOR FLOWING OIL FROM OIL-VVELLS.

Application filed February 13, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS B. JACKSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tulsa, in the county of Tulsa and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Flowing Oil from Oil-Wells, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in apparatus for flowing oil from oil wells.

The primary object of the invention is to effect a flow of-oil from oil wells at the least possible expense and with extreme rapidity, the pressure of the gas within the well being utilized by the device for the accomplishment of its objects.

It is also designed to provide an apparatus for flowing oil out of the well by means of the gas pressure therein which obviates the use of any rods or valves within the well casing and thus provide an increased capacity for the oil flow. The present apparatus produces a greater quantity of oil from a new well than is possible by any pumping methods, and the removalof the oil supply being as rapid as the production thereof allows no disadvantageous back pressure upon the sand in the well bed.

With these general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 is a central longitudinal vertical sectional view through an oil well illustrating the present device installed within the casing thereof. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken upon line IIII of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view taken upon line III III of'Fig. 1.

The principle of the apparatus hereinafter described in detail may best be stated broadly to involve the gathering of the bubbles of gas as they start to rise to the top of the well through the oil, and as they are confined into the relatively small diameter Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 311, 319115.

Serial No. 7,968.

outlet pipe, or into a smaller space, the displacement of the fluid is made to weigh the same inside the tubing or outlet as the weight of the column of oil outside the apparatus until the oil is drained from the well, whereupon the velocity of the gas exerts a suction at the bottom of the outlet pipe.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the device is illustrated as positioned within the casing 10 of the well, although if desired, the device under favorable circumstances may be employed equally as well without the use of such casing. The device employs a cylindrical or tubular member in the form of a section of casing 11 of the desired length and of slightly less diameter than that of the well casing 10 and having a. collar 12 exterior-1y screw-threaded to the lower end thereof. The said collar 12 is of a diameter allowing the same to be received within the well casing 10 for forming a substantially fluid-tight slidable connection therebetween, the collar 12 being provided with a band 12 of flexible material as rubher or the like that engages the wall of the casing or well as the case happens to be.

A head or cap 13 is screw-threaded within the top of the casing section 11 and has a central longitudinal bore 14 therethrough. An oil outlet pipe 15 is screw-threaded within the upper end of the cap bore 14 and extends to an. outlet point at the mouth of the well for conducting the flowing oil therethrough. Tubing sections 16 are screwthreaded together and extend centrally through the casing section 11 in longitudinal downward direction, the upper end of such tubing being screw-threaded in the lower end of the cap bore 14, while the diameter of this tubing and the outlet pipe 15 are identical.

The collar 12 is provided with an inwardly arranged disk 17 through the central opening 18 of which the tubing 16 extends, while the disk is also provided with an annular row of perforations 19.

()ne section of the tubing 16 designated as 16 and which is positioned within the chamber 19 of the casing section 11, is provided with perforations 30, while a check valve casing 21 has screw-threaded connections with the tubing 16 at a point below the collar disk 17 and the lowermost tubing sec tion 16 of the device is also perforated as at 22. A ball or other valve 23 is provided in the valve casing 21.

ll ith'the apparatus as described, we will assume for the purpose of illustration of the operation, that the well in which the device is placed is fifteen hundred feet. deep and the size of the hole into the oil bearing strata is six and five eighths inches and that the well contains one thousand feet of oil, or in other words, it is five hundred feet from the top of the well down to the oil. Under these conditions, the device is lowered into the well until the bottom is about even with the oil bearing sand. The gas bubbles coming out of the oil sands rise against the bot tom and find their way through the perforations 19 until chamber 19' is filled with gas. The pressure in the well at the bottom of the one thousand feet of oil fluid is substantially four hundred pounds tothe square inch, an d when the chamber 19 becomes packed until the pressure in such chamber is the same as it is on the outside, the fluid will gradually back down until the gas in the chamber 19 comes to the perforated holes 20. At this time, the bubbles will slowly start rising in.

the outlet 15, and as these bubbles increase and diminish the space in the same proportion that 1000 is to 1500, the oil will start flowing out, at the top of the well, or, in other words, when the displacement in the tubing is 335-7 4, the column of oil in the tubing or outlet pipe will weigh just the same as the solid fluid on the outside of the device or 'in the open well. 7

After commencing to flow, the column in the outlet pipe lightens in the same proportion to the amount of oil discharged, which, of course, backed up by recompressed gas in chamber 19, which is the reserve energy, rushing through perforations 20, starts a suction through perforations 22. and valve 23 closes to keep oil from coming into the tube. After the pressure; has exhausted it self from the chamber 19, it will then settle down and begin to accumulate gas for another discharge, the time between flows being governed of course by the amount or" gas the well is making. Obviously, if there is suificient gas, the flow of oil will be continuous. The device does not necessarily have to fit tight against the side of the well or casing, the fit required being only enough to gather the gas bubbles as they start rising through the oil.

The device will operate without the check valve 23 as this valve is necessary only in case the gas volume is small. If necessary, the space at the casing head can be closed until the flow begins, and if the flow does not start promptly, a slight raising and lowering of the device a few times will be found advantageous in starting the flow. The size of the flower to be used is determined by the diameter of the pipe or casing of the finished well, the flower being one size smaller than the casing. To install the flower is attached to the lower end of the tubing and let into the well until the bottom ofthe flower is even with the top of the producing sand.

lVhile the form of the invention herein shown and described is what is believed to be the preferred embodiment thereof, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

That is claimed as new is 1. A device of the class described, comprising a casing section adapted for closely fitting within a well, tubing extending through the said section and having a gas-tight connection at its upper end with the said section, an outlet pipe communicating with the upper end of the said tubing, a check valve provided in the said tubing at a point beneath the lower end of said casing section, and a perforated tubing connected to the lower side of the said check valve.

' 2. A device of the class described comprising in combination with an oil well, a casing section slidably positioned therein, a collar externally screw-threaded to the lower end of the said section and closely fitting within the said well, a cap upon the upper end of the said section having a longitudinal bore therethrough, piping longitudinally extending through the said section and well and having a communicating connection through the said bore.

3. A device of the class described comprising in combination with an oil well, a casing section slidably positioned therein, a collar externally screw-threaded to the lower end of the said section and closely fitting -within-the said well, a cap upon the upper end of the said section having a longitudinal bore therethrough, an outlet pipe at the upper end of said bore extending to the mouth of the well. tubing within the said casing section having its upper end secured within the lower end of the said bore, and a check valve interposed in the said tubing be low said collar.

4. A device of the class described, comprising in combination with an oil well, a casing section slidably positioned therein, a collar externally screw-threaded to the lower end of the said section and closely fitting within the said well, a cap upon the upper end of the said section having a longitudinal bore therethrough. an outlet pipe at the upper end of said bore extending to the mouth of the well, tubing within the said casing section having its upper end secured within the lower end of the said bore, a perforated disk carried within the said col lar and having a central opening through which the said tubing extends, a check valve mtnese interposed in said tubing beneath the said disk, and a portion of the tubing below the said check valve and also a portion thereof withinthe'said casing section being provided with a plurality of perforations.

5. An apparatus "for the removal of oil from wells by the action of the gases therein comprising an oil outlet pipe, a vertically alining tubing positionable within a well, a fluid-tight gas confining member surrounding the said tubing and connecting the said pipe and tubing together, and a check valve interposed in said tubing at a point adjacent the lower endthereof and below the said gas confining member When the apparatus is operatively positioned in a well.

6. An oil well flower comprising a tubular member, a head in the'upper end thereof having a central bore, a collar secured to the lower end of the member having an internal perforated disk, and a tube connected at its upper end to the head and extending through said disk and below the lower end of the tubular member, said tube having perforations therein above the disk.

7. An oil Well flower comprising a tubular member, a head in the upper end thereof having a central bore, a collar secured to the lower end of the member having an internal perforated disk, and a tube connected at its upper end to the head and extending 7 through said disk and below the lower end of the tubular member, said tube having perforations therein above the disk at points above and below the disk.

In testimony whereof I aihx my signature in presenoeof two witnesses.

FRANCES B. JACKSON.

Witnesses r P. G. WALKER, Jr., L. L. HUTcmsoN. 

